10 Things to Consider Before Buying Your First Pram

Choosing a pram for your newborn baby can be completely overwhelming and parents often end up making an expensive purchase they regret. Here are a few things to consider about when deciding which pram is for you. (Please note this article focusses on prams rather than pushchairs or strollers as these are for older children).

1. When your baby is a newborn, slings are the most wonderful way to carry them around and there are loads on the market to choose from. Lots of skin-to-skin contact is great for everyone and you might not need a pram at all for the first few months. (Remember however that slings may be uncomfortable if you’ve had a c-section and some babies feel too heavy to be in a sling for long). 2. Decide on a pram budget before leaving the house. This helps narrow your product choice right from the start. Do you really care if there is a changing bag to match the pram? Do you want a model with lots of optional extras? Having a clear idea from the start will help you purchase within your budget. 3. Newborns need to be able to lie down. They won’t be comfortable in sitting positions for any length of time until they are around six months old. For this reason, your pram should have a horizontal or detachable carrycot option. 4. Consider the size of your hallway and storage space and whether or not you will have stairs to climb with your pram. Will you need to leave it at the bottom of a staircase? Will you need to fold it up and store it away? These factors will help you decide about the weight and storability of the model you choose. 5. Can you dismantle the pram one-handed (holding your baby in the other?) If the pram needs two people to disassemble it, it might not be right for you.

6. Will you be using public transport? Although we live in the 21st century, unbelievably, many bus, rail and tube networks are not very accessible to those with prams. On buses for example, the driver will often ask you to fold down your pram in order to board. (Top Tip: Download this iPhone app Mumderground to view pram-friendly stations on the London Underground.) 7. Think about whether you want a fixed pram or one with a detachable car seat (known as a travel system). It is very useful to be able to transfer your sleeping baby from car to pram and vice versa without disturbing them but remember that newborns shouldn’t stay in the car chair for too long. 8. Make sure the pram fits into the boot of your car if you will be traveling around with it. 9. If mega-clean is your thing, make sure the pram has detachable, washable covers as they get dirty quickly. 10. If you have older children as well as a newborn, you might want to consider a pram with a buggy board attachment so they can ride along with you. Header Image : Parallax Corporation

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